Automatic firearm.



W. WHITING. AUTOMATIC FIRBARM. v APPLIGATION FILED APR. 9, 1909.

939,882.- Patented Nov. 9, 1909,

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES :Nvt-:moa www@ fw/zgg W. J. WRITING. AUTOMATICv PIEBARM.

APPLICATION IILBD APR. 9, 1909..

V Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

W. I. WRITING.

AUTOMATIC HBEARM. APPLIoATIoN FILED PR. 9, 1909. 939,882. Patented Nov.9. 1909.

SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WILLIAM JOHN WHITING, F HANDSWORTH, NEAR BIRMINGHA-M, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

` To'all whom it ma/ z/ concer/n:

-Be it known that I, WILLIAM JOHN WHIT- ING, a subject of the King of Great Britain,

v.turn spring while the hammer ofthe firing mechanism is arranged externally. and beresidin at 111 Autrobus road, Handsworth, near irmingham, England, -director of public company, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Automatic Firearms, of which the following is a specication.

This invention has reference to automatic small arms of the type in which vthe barrel is fixed to the body or frame,and the breechslide, 'which is externally mounted .on said frame, is traversed rearwardly on each discharge, by the direct action of the recoil and returned immediately by the reaction or rehind the breech slide.4

The object of the said invention is to Aprovide an improved construction of smallarm ofthe above-mentioned ty e in'which the reciprocating breech slide 1s combined with irlng and safety mechanism 'that is so arranged that it is impossible for the arm to be discharged unless the handle or stock is firmly gripped in the hand with the. intention 'of iringia shot while whenthe handle is so grasped after the cocking of the hammer (either by the recoil of the breech slide after `the previous discharge or by hand) the arm is immediately and automatically made ready for firing and can be discharged by-merely ulling the trigger.

Figures 1 to 15 o the accompanylng drawings show an automatic pistol constructed in accordance with one form of my invention, wherein the trigger and sear' of the .firing mechanism are suported, at the rear of the external breech-s i e, in a spring-inliuenced' housing or supplementary frame lwhich is separate from the main frame that carries the trigger and Sear-trip ing bar and is mounted` in lthe rear part o the handle or grip in lsuch a way that normally the hammer and sear are held out of range of the scar-trippin Abar so lthat thepistol cannot be fired .if t e trigger is pulled, whereas when the handle is grasped, .for firing, an operative relationship .is automatically established between all the parts of the yfiring mechanism. Thus Fig. 1 is a partial longitudinal vertical section of the pistol, clearly showing the construction or arrange- Specication of Letterslatent.

Application filed April 9, 1809. Serial No. 488,917.

Patented Nov: v9, 1909.

ment of the se arate housing or mounting which carries te sear'and hammerl of the firing mechanism. Fig. 2'is a similar view to .F1g. 1, except that part of the housing is shown in section to illustrate more clearly the disposition or arrangementof the sear and Sear-spring and hammer and hammer spring, while the parts are shown in the posltions which they Aare compelled to assume when the. housing is moved by the hand ogripping the pistol prior to firing. Fig". 3 pistol taken onis a horizontal section of the the dotted line Fig. 1. F1 4 shows an elevation, partly in section, o a portion of.

the pistol, with the parts of the firing mechanism in the ositions they assume when the trigger is pu ed. Fig. 5 shows the rear or handle portion of the frame of the pistol and the sear and hammer housing separated, or with the latter removed from the former so as to illustrate how the said housing, with the hammer and sear, constitutes a complete or self-contained unit which is independent of-and movablemelative to the other parts of the pistol. Fig. 6 shows. an edge view of the inner side of the housin element. Fig. 7 is a com lete vertical section of the same and Fig. 8 1s a top side plan thereof. Fig. 9

is a top side plan of therear portion of the frame or body of the pistol and shows how the same is constructed to adapt it for the reception of the housingelement. Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views of the rear portion ofthe frame showing the same adapted to receive'a slidable housing; Fig. 12 is'a de' tail view of a safety housing adapted to be slidably mounted'in,vthe frame when constructed as shownin Figs. 10 and 11; Figs.

13, 14 and 15 are detail fragmentary viewsv of modified formsA of the invention wherein the same spring which serves to hold the safety housing in retracted or inoperative position may serve as a magazine latch. The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the said Figs. 1 to 15.

In the particular construction represented in these iigures, the trigger a is ivoted, in

vthe yusual manner, at the front o the frame or body b of the pistol, and is provided with an ordinary Sear-operatingbar or limb `c but the part of the said body that comes be# hind the grip or handle is formed with a pair of cheeks lor laterally-separated extern lsions b1, between which is mounted a housing or supplementary frame d that carries the sear and scar-spring e, e1 and the hammer and hammer-spring f, f1 of the firing mechanism, and is suitably pivoted to the said main frame so that the whole of the parts d, e, yV are capable of rocking bodily, or as a single self-contained unit, in the longer direction of the pistol. From the underside of the said housing, there depends a leverlike extension d1 which is adapted to t into a suitable space or clearance g in the rear edge of the handle or grip of the pistol, and is acted upon by a sprin h the tendency of which is to place the sai housing in a position wherein the sear e is quite out of range of the operating bar as shown in Fig. 1, and cannot, when the pistol is cocked, be tripped out of bent with the hammer, even should the trigger and Sear-operating bar a, c, be pressed back to the limit of their movement. Thus the arrangement affords an absolutely certain safety effect when the parts are so positioned by the spring. The said spring also tends to hold the lever-ex- 'tensioii of the rocking housing in a position in which the greater portion thereof pro- ]ects to considerable extent beyond the back of the handle or grip as also shown in Figs.4

l and 2, so that when the latter is firm grasped in the hand, the pressure of the palm is exerted against the said lever andmoves the same in the forward direction, in opposition to the spring. This movement also rocks or tilts the sear housing and brings the sear into engagement with the operating bar (as shown in Fig. 3) so that if the trigger is pulled before the hand pressure on the lever-extension is relieved, the sear is tripped out of bent and the pistol is discharged.

The housing may be pivoted between the cheeks or rear extensions b1 of the body in any convenient manner, but in the arrangement shown in the drawings, this is effected by the pin e2 which serves as the Sear pivot, and whose ends are extended beyond the sides of the sear, so that they will pass respectively through the opposite sides of the said housing and engage in bearings b2 in the said cheeks b1.

Preferably, I provide the sear with a depending tail or extension e3 the back edge of which, when the parts are in the safety position and the hammer is cocked, has a solid bearing or abutment against a part of the main frame or body of the pistol so that it is incapable of any movement in the direction in which it has to be tilted to effect the disengagement of the nose of said sear from the hammer bent. Further, and as an additional precaution, I may form the iinderside of the breech-slide d of the pistol -with a rib 1 whose opposite sides lie upon aaaaaa therebyV kee the nose of the said sear jammed in t e hammer bent whereas when the said parts are transferred to the firing positions by the grip of the hand on the lever extension of the Sear-housing, the searextension is lifted away from its abutment on the frame and the sear nose is depressed clear of the bottom of the breech-slide (see Fig. l) so that the Sear may make its angu lar hammer-disengaging movement when acted upon the Sear-operating bar on the trigger bein pulled.

Instead o the Sear-housing being pivoted to make an angular movement for taking the Sear into and out of relation with the trig er, the said housin -may be feathered or ovetailed to the bo y so that the scar may have a sliding movement relative to the main frame and trigger.

Figs. 10, 11 anu 12 arevviews showing how the safety housing and rear part of the frame may be constructed according to this modification' the said housing d being formed with the feathers of guide ribs d* which corresponding grooves or featherways b4 are formed on the inner sides of the side walls at the rear of the frame. The sliding part carries the hammer and sear and their springs as in the previously described arrangement, and when in position, it is influenced by a suitably applied spring or springs acting to automatically place the parts of the firing mechanism at safe as soon as the hand grip on the handle is relieved, while the depending part (l1 is arranged to it into the back of the saidhandle for bringing up the said parts to the tiring position when the pistol is grasped as already described.

When the hammer of the firing mechanism is actuated by a spring of the spiral type, this spring may be also utilized to give the movement to the housing for positioning the parts at safetyf One such arrangement is shown iii F ig., 13, wherein the spring f1 is arranged within a suitable hole or recess in the housing and its opposite ends are made to work against plungers or small slides f2, f3, the former of which is ada ted to transmit the effort of the'spring to tlie hammer, while the latter may be arranged to bear against the frame or some other relatively stationary part at a point below the housing fulcrum, or at such other suitable point, as will insure that the effort of the said spring shall tend to place the housing and parts that are mounted thereon in the safety osition. In the particullar arrangement shown in Fig. 13, however, the hammer-spring plunger f3, instead of having a bearing against the frame, is arranged so that it is utilized as a magazine latch; the same being formed with a s heroidal end which extends through a suitable opening in the front of the housing and is adapted to engage with a 'tically' a solid part'of the hous' the hand pressure on the housingever will serve to keep the latchingen'd of the plunger suitable recess jl in the back of the'detachable magazine j on the parts being brought to the firing-positions by the act o1' gripping the pistol 1n the hand, whereas when the hand-grip is relieved, the rearward movement which the seat-housing makes on the expansion of the hammer and spring, takes the said latching end of the plunger out of engagement with the magazine and leaves the latter free to be Withdrawn.

vmechanism are inthe safety positions.

In the construction shown, the front of the leverextension d1 is chamberedout to form a seating cl' for a spherical ended latchplunger k2 and spring ca. The plunger itself is hollow and incloses the spring whose rearward endbears against the back of the seating while its-'forward end bears against. the plunger. Normally or when the parts are in the safety position as shown in IFig. 14 the spring forces the plunger out of its seating tosuch avdistance that 'it can engage with the back of the magazine and frictionally hold the latter in place so that there can be no danger of the said magazine dropping out of the chamber in the handle. The plunger is, however, made of such a length that when the housing is movedforward 'to the tiring position,its inner end will bottom against, or take a solid abutment on, the inner end of the seatin as shown in Fig. 15; that is to say, it w' become pracso that in positive engagement with the magazine and absolutely lock the latter to the frame of the arm so long as the firing grip is main-' tained on the handle and lever egtension ofV the housing.

Instead. of aslidingplunger, I may use any other latch arrangement which is' normally spring Yengaged with the magazine so as to provide a frictional fastening and yet enable `said magazine to-be withdrawn when required, but which has a rigid or dea/.d bearing against same part of the scar-housingor its lever on the latter being brought up to the ring position.

'The application of the improvements to automatic rifles differs inno essential respect from 1ts application to pistols as herein described; the housing in which the hammer and sea'r are mounted being arranged in the stock of the arm', at 'the back of the magazinel chamber, and provided with a leverlike extension' which is arranged so.that it t will be acted upon by the hand of the shooter tionship with one another.

when the stock is grasped'prior to firing and will thereby move the housing or supplementary frame and take the various parts of the firing mechanism into operative rela- I claim- 1. In a I irearm, the .combination of a main frame, .a safety housing movable with respect to the frame, and firing mechanism comprising a hammer' and sear carried by said housing, and a trigger and Sear-tripping bar carried by the main frame, said sear being carried into operative relation with the said tripping-bar when the housing is moved in one direction.

2. In a re arm, the combination of a frame carrying a trigger and a Sear-tripping bar, a housing movable relatively to the frame and arranged atthe rear of the handle or grip thereof, aspring for normally holding the housing in inoperative position, and a hammer andsear carried by said housing, the releasing part ofthe sear being in substantial aline'ment with'the tripping bar but normally inoperative thereby, a movement of said housing 'carryingthe sear into coperative relation with the tripping bar.

3. In a fire arm, the combination of a frame provided with ar handle or grip, a

trigger and Sear-tripping bar mounted in the frame, a safety housing movably mounted with respect to the handle or grip and having a spring for normally holding it in retracted position, a hammer, a sear coperative-with the hammer and arranged to be moved into'operative and inoperative relation .with lrespect to the tripping bar by movements of the safety housing, 'and means coperative with the sear for locking the same from tripping movement while the housing is in retracted position.

'4. In a`ire arm, the combination of a frame having a handle or grip, a trigger and Sear-tripping bar carrled by the frame,

a' safety housing pivoted. toA the frame in lrear of the handle or gr1p,a hammer, a sear' coperative with the hammer and carried'by the safety housing, said sear havlng an extension arranged to be carried into copertripping bar mounted in the frame, a safety housing movably mounted with respect to the handle or grip, a hammer, anda sear coperative with the hammer and arranged tobe carried into operative and inoperative relation with the tripping bar by movements of said housir g, said sear being carried mto locked engagement with the breech slide to with respect to the trigger mechanprevent releasing of the senr when the safety ism on the frame. housing is in retracted position. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 6. In a fire arm, the combination of :L my hand in presence of two subsoribing Wit- 5 frame, trigger mechanism carried thereby, a messes.

safety housing pivoted to the frame in rear WILLIAM JOHN WHITING of the grip thereon, a hammer mounted on a common pivot with said housing', and a sear Vitnesses:

coperative with the hammer and carried by HENRY SKERRETT,

10 the housing' into operative and inoperative HENRY NORTON SKERRE'IT. 

